The use of social media, and social media sharing, has become so common that most of us have become desensitized to it without even realizing it, not only is it a part of our personal lives, but our professional lives as well. It is common to here conversations containing phrases like “shares” and “posts” and most of us don’t think twice about it. There are many studies that show how it has improved workplace productivity and communication both personally and professionally. Below are some thoughts on the positive and negative elements of the new social media wave: One positive element that social media can bring to the table is up to date information that is readily available; people in the workplace for example are able to log on to Facebook or other websites and view company pages. You can easily get a brief overview of information and make your decisions accordingly.

One of the most obvious positives to social media is that it provides a wide spectrum of marketing possibilities at a relatively low cost. Businesses and people are now able to market themselves better and faster than ever.

Positive Elements:

One positive element that social media can bring to the table is up to date information that is readily available; people in the workplace for example are able to log on to Facebook or other websites and view company pages. You can easily get a brief overview of information and make your decisions accordingly.

One of the most obvious positives to social media is that it provides a wide spectrum of marketing possibilities at a relatively low cost. Businesses and people are now able to market themselves better and faster than ever.

Potential Negatives:

Now that we have taken a look at the positives, it is time to look at some of the possible negative elements of social media, such as false information. While it is easy to get information out there, it is also just as easy for people to get false information as well. This can hurt the credibility of some sources and sometimes make trusting the information more difficult.

In addition, some people argue that it is distracting and can actually interrupt a steady workflow. Constant updates and interruptions can make it hard to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

Any new trend will have both good and bad things associated with it, but one thing is clear- it seems that this social media wave is here to stay. The best thing to do is to educate yourself and your fellow co-workers or employees about all of these opportunities and possible obstacles; the more you understand something the easier it is to make it work for you.

Sources: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanwestwood/2015/03/05/hit-like-if-you-agree-with-social-media-in-the-workplace/ http://www.cerait.com/5-problems-social-networking-workplace

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